Hey gang!
It is the season of giving; therefore, many are looking for special gifts for the ones they love. If you are looking for a unique gift that will certainly not be duplicated, and a gift that the receiver is sure to love and appreciate, you have come to the right place!
I actually made this gift for mommy on her birthday. You know! The gift that I referenced
here. And before that I made it for myself, so I could record my thoughts and blessings for the day.
This gift is perfect for Christmas, Hanukkah, The New Year, and even Kwanzaa (because it's handmade)!
Who could I get this gift for?
- Parents
- Siblings
- Aunts, Uncles
- Cousins
- Boss
- Coworkers
- Professors
- People in your spiritual circle
Basically, this gift is great for anyone and everyone!
How can I use this 10 Year Calender?
- Write one blessing a day
- Record the most memorable part of your day
- Jot a one or two sentence journal entry
- Use a combination of all these things!
What do I need?
Index cards
Date Stamp and ink
12 Dividers (CD booklest, postcards, colored index cards, or your own drawings on cardstock)
Pen
Container to hold cards
1. Stamp a card for each day of the year
This will be the most time consuming part of this project. If you stay focused you can get all the stamping done in about 2 hours.
Tip: Make sure you have more than 365 index cards, just in case you make mistakes on your stamping. I made quite a few, but that may be the perfectionist in me.
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| Sorry for the dark photos, I was trying to get these shots in right before sunset :/ |
2. Write titles on the days that the receiver would deem important
I made this set for me, but on my mother's set I also wrote her birthday at the top. I also wrote my other family members birthdays, anniversaries, and other special days on the appropriate card.
Tip: Many holidays can not be written at the top of the card because they may fall on a different day each year like Thanksgiving.
3. Match up the dividers with a month
This is the fun part! I chose to use cd booklets. They were organized and hidden in my cd case, so I thought they should be brought out into the light and have some real use.
To organize the booklets by month, I thought about the artists' birthdays, what month the album was released, what music I would like to listen to in that month, and the overall feel of the music as it pertains to that month
For example: I put Tchaichovsky (classical music) behind December because it reminds me of the holidays.
Also, my wedding anniversary is in April, so I put my wedding favor cd cover behind April :)
4. Arrange the cards and their dividers, so that the day that the gift is given is in front.
In a picture below, you'll see that I didn't start with January, but instead with my mom's birthday (the day she received it), so that she could start writing in her journal immediately.
5. Put the cards with their dividers in the container
I used a wooden container that I already had; I was looking for a way to use it for months. I spray painted it this burgundy color. I had pics of the process, but they are lost somewhere either on my computer or accidentally deleted. Sorry!
Tip: If you need to spray paint, do it outside! Those fumes are intense and may give you an unexpected and unwanted high if you spray indoors.
Tip: If you have to go out and buy a container, I suggest you bring an index card with you to measure the length of the container.You want to make sure you have the right dimensions for the cards to fit.
I added some marbles on the side to add a little oommph, but also to keep the cards snug tight and in place:)
And that's it!
6. Optional Step: Add a note explaining how to use the DIY 10 Year Calender, and show an example. People may not understand that this calender is to be used for each day of the year for 10 years.
After 10 years, the receiver will literally be able to see how his ideas changed from day to day!
If you choose to create a blessings journal, the receiver will have numerous blessings on which to reflect and be grateful for.
A Bientot and Happy Holidays!
